3rd Floor Common Room, Monday Evening

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

Tanned and rested from a vacation--where no evil mutants or natural disasters struck--Jean was going to settle in for whatever she could find on TV tonight.

It ended up being something about kids living and loving in New Jersey.

Something was terribly, terribly wrong here.

[[Open as common rooms are!]]

Comments

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

"No, those ended last night," Jean replied sympathetically. Not that she watched them.

...somewhere... a Canadian is crying and doesn't know why. If this comment actually posts.

[findingelena.livejournal.com]

"Ah, well," Elena said, dropping onto a chair easily. "I'm sure there's plenty of interesting things on. Like whatever this is."

She squinted at the TV. "What is this, anyway?"

(The weird thing is, I got that notif and then couldn't see the comment. I was trying to will it into existence WITH MY MIND.)

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

"It's like the Real World only in New Jersey." And with fist pounding. And bad hair.

[[LJ, stop being fail!]]

[findingelena.livejournal.com]

"I've never been to New Jersey," Elena said. "Is it nice?"

The girl on screen was tanned a shade of dark orange, with the worst dye job Elena had seen in a while. She was screeching at someone and jabbing a huge finger in his face.

"I'm ... gonna guess not," she added.

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

"I know Bruce is from there," Jean replied, clearly implying that he was nice at least.

[findingelena.livejournal.com]

"It's probably really great wherever these people aren't," Elena said quickly, face growing red. Open mouth: insert foot. Just like always. "And Bruce is probably a great guy."

Did she know a Bruce? It sounded familiar. And nobody here looked ... radioactive, so apparently not everyone in this New Jersey was insane.

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

Jean nodded and pointed over toward him in a totally covert manner. Really.

"I think this is only in a weird part of the state."

[findingelena.livejournal.com]

"Probably," she said quickly, nodding to Bruce. She'd chatted to him once or twice, seriously. "I bet it has nice beaches. With normal-looking people on them and so on."

Elena should learn to quit while she was behind.

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure you don't turn that color from actual sunlight."

Unless you're a mutant.

[findingelena.livejournal.com]

"Is there a mako reactor nearby?" Elena asked, staring at the girl. "Something nuclear? Have these people been checked out by a doctor?"

Seriously, whatever had turned her that color couldn't be healthy.

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

"It's fake tanning," Jean informed her seriously. "Super gross stuff."

[findingelena.livejournal.com]

"So ..." Elena frowned at the television, in deep thought. "They did that on purpose?"

That was even scarier. A tragic accident was one thing. Waking up and deciding to be orange? Bizarre.

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

Jean nodded sadly. "And she could be so much prettier without the orange. And the hair."

And the breasts in your face.

[findingelena.livejournal.com]

"And maybe if she was wearing something a little less ... anything," Elena said, shaking her head.

She could dress as shamelessly as the next girl, but that outfit was just tacky. And did nothing for her whatsoever.

[ihavenocodename.livejournal.com]

"Trampy?" It was PG still! It was okay to say.

[findingelena.livejournal.com]

"It's not even the trampy part that bothers me," Elena sighed. "I mean, I've gone to clubs before. You can look smokin' hot without looking like you charge by the hour."

Or, at least, that if you did charge by the hour, it would be via an elite screening service and for hundreds of dollars, and not on the street corner for $50 and a hit of blow.